Major Water Leak Floods Montreal Streets

Early Friday morning, residents in the Centre-Sud area of Montreal found themselves wading through water due to a significant leak near the Jacques-Cartier Bridge.

The chaos started around 5:45 AM at the intersection of Boulevard René-Lévesque and Avenue De Lorimier. By 9 AM, the water was still gushing out like a geyser.

Authorities believe a water main break is to blame for this mess. Firefighters struggled to navigate the flooded streets, prompting officials to advise people to steer clear of the area.

Montreal’s mayor, Valérie Plante, took to social media to reassure the public that all teams are on the scene, working to find the source of the break and initiate repairs. She promised to provide updates throughout the day.

Education Minister Bernard Drainville expressed his sympathy during a press conference, noting, “I’ve seen the disturbing images from Montreal. My thoughts are with the people affected, and I hope things get back to normal soon.”

Philippe Sabourin, a spokesperson for the city, mentioned that about a hundred homes have been impacted by the flood. He stressed the importance of safety and asked curious onlookers to stay away from the flooded region.

Sabourin explained the crews need to locate the exact spot of the break before they can close off the valves and start the repair process, which could take up to half a day.

In related news, the building housing CTV, RDS, and Noovo near Papineau and René-Lévesque also experienced flooding. Police were dispatched to close off affected roadways, while firefighters worked on site.

The area bounded by Papineau, De Lorimier, Sainte-Catherine, and Viger is currently off-limits to traffic. The eastbound Ville-Marie tunnel is also shut down, with drivers being redirected to Saint-Laurent Boulevard.

Social media updates from emergency services warned the public to avoid the intersection of Sainte-Catherine East and De Lorimier due to a major flooding situation.

Jean-Pierre Brabant, a spokesperson for the Montreal Police, advised drivers from the South Shore to use alternate routes instead of the Jacques-Cartier Bridge.

Many bus lines have also been rerouted, but the Papineau metro station is still operational for commuters, as reported by STM’s Isabelle Tremblay. She encouraged residents to use the metro instead of buses in the affected area.

Hydro-Québec has reported that approximately 13,000 customers are without power due to the water main break.

Chantal Morissette, the city’s water service director, clarified that the leak is unrelated to the heavy rains Montreal experienced last week.

With a large water main supplying potable water to the east side of Montreal, the situation remains serious with ongoing efforts to restore normalcy.